An IFR PA-27 pilot lost electrical power during climb out and could not talk with ATC or squawk tran...

Attributes
ACN	820687
Time
Date	200901
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Electrical Power
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 35 Flight Crew Total 7000 Flight Crew Type 100
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical

Narrative:

Departed ZZZ on an IFR flight plan; destination ZZZ1. Opened flight plan and was cleared to 7;000 ft direct ZZZ1 and was attempting to squawk a code. The transponder was not showing a return and was confirmed by ATC. I turned on cabin heat and all radios went dead. After picking up my flashlight and trying to correct the problem and investigate; I made the decision to return to base. After putting in a 7600 code on the transponder (hoping it could be seen); I did a 180 degree turn and headed back in the general direction of ZZZ. It was just breaking daylight and I could still see the rotating beacon at the airport. I made a typical VFR descent while being aware of the 2 airports now off my right wing. Someone had turned on the runway lights at ZZZ so the landing area was clearly visible. Gear and flaps were deployed normally and I landed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An IFR PA-27 pilot lost electrical power during climb out and could not talk with ATC or squawk transponder codes. The pilot returned to land at his departure airport NORDO.

Narrative: Departed ZZZ on an IFR flight plan; destination ZZZ1. Opened flight plan and was cleared to 7;000 FT direct ZZZ1 and was attempting to squawk a code. The transponder was not showing a return and was confirmed by ATC. I turned on cabin heat and all radios went dead. After picking up my flashlight and trying to correct the problem and investigate; I made the decision to return to base. After putting in a 7600 code on the transponder (hoping it could be seen); I did a 180 degree turn and headed back in the general direction of ZZZ. It was just breaking daylight and I could still see the rotating beacon at the airport. I made a typical VFR descent while being aware of the 2 airports now off my right wing. Someone had turned on the runway lights at ZZZ so the landing area was clearly visible. Gear and flaps were deployed normally and I landed.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.